


A Summer Song

by TeekiJane



Series: The Boys of Summer [30]
Category: Baby-Sitters Club - Ann M. Martin
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-12
Updated: 2014-01-12
Packaged: 2018-01-08 12:47:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,293
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1132826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TeekiJane/pseuds/TeekiJane
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jeff sees his future in Byron’s eyes as the two of them have to say goodbye.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Summer Song

_And when the rain_  
_Beats against my window pane_  
_I’ll think of summer days again_  
_And dream of you_  
Chad and Jeremy, A Summer Song

**Jeff**

I’d already worked my last day at Kitchen  & Bath. Byron and I had gone in together to put in our two weeks’ notice. Saturday had been my last day. Wednesday was his. 

So despite the fact that I never wanted to see that place again, I’d made arrangements to head back out there Wednesday afternoon, right as he was getting off work. Mom was in the planning phase of a project, so she was working from home and didn’t need her car. It amazes me on a regular basis how she can put together these elaborately designed, beautiful rooms and then turn around and do weird shit like leave the mail in the freezer. 

I was getting ready to leave the house when my sister came out of her bedroom. “All packed?” Dawn asked. The two of us were leaving for California the next day. 

“For the most part,” I said breezily. Dawn had been getting on my nerves a bit recently, but she was starting to mellow out. I guess she’d realized that, despite the apparent changes, I wasn’t really any different than I had been before she’d left for Peru almost fifteen months earlier. 

“Me too,” she commented as she followed me down the stairs. “I can’t wait to get back to California,” she added. 

“Connecticut treating you that badly?” I asked, looking at her sideways. 

“Noooo,” she said slowly. “It’s not Connecticut specifically. I’ve just been away for so long, constantly moving and traveling. I’m ready to go home.” 

I nodded. “I can understand that. Question is, where is home these days?” 

Dawn smiled at me. “And that’s a very, very good question.” She sat down at the kitchen table, where she’d left a book earlier in the day. The book was in Spanish and even though I took four years of Spanish in high school, I couldn’t translate the title. “I think that’s the trouble with this age we’re both in. We want to be adult and independent, but we haven’t cut the ties to our parents’ homes yet.” 

I nodded at Dawn, even though she was sort of talking over my head. How was I supposed to cut ties? No one would let me. She went on. “I guess I don’t know whether I mean my apartment with my college friends, or whether I mean Palo City with Dad and Carol and Gracie…and you.”

I sat backwards in a chair and she picked up her book. All the time she’d been trying to talk to me since she’d breezed back into my life, she’d been trying to get _me_ to talk about my life. This was the first time she’d really opened up about hers. “Maybe it’s a little of both,” I suggested. Dawn smiled. “They say home is where the heart is, after all,” I added idly, spewing forth a horrible cliché.

Dawn’s face drooped a little. “I guess home is back in Lima at _Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos_ ,” she said with a sigh. 

“Ohh-hh?” I asked, my pitch rising a little as I neared the end of the word. She looked at me with almost a hint of a smile. “Who is he?” 

She shook her head. “Does it matter?” she replied. “We were together for most of the year. We vowed to stay in touch. I was even going to save up for a plane ticket back to Lima for Christmas.” I nodded, urging her to continue. “While I was at Sunny’s in New York, I got an email from him. He said that he’d had fun with me, but it was time for him to settle down and find a nice Catholic Peruvian girl his parents would approve of.” Dawn hadn’t opened her book, but she was clutching it to her chest, as if she could protect her heart from the story. “I loved him, and he was using me for a good time. And then he broke up with me by email! Email!” 

Had she been a different girl, Dawn probably would have been crying by then, but she’d learned a long time ago how to toughen herself up. That’s why the show of emotion I was getting was so rare and special. I didn’t even know how to respond to it; I felt awkward. I was only getting one side of the story and I had a feeling there was a lot more to it than that. “Maybe he did care enough that he knew that the breakup was going to hurt you. Maybe he did it because it would be too hard to do over the phone.” 

She looked over at me and smiled, just a little bit, at my clumsy attempt to try to cheer her up. “I’ve thought of that too. I know his parents were pressuring him to find a Catholic wife. Maybe it was easier to give into them when I wasn’t there anymore.” She put the book down. “But knowing that it’s over, it’s easier on my heart to just pretend that he was a heartless bastard who just wanted to tell all his friends he scored with the blonde chick.” 

Something about the way she’d said the last line made me smile also. Back to resilient Dawn, the tough girl of Palo City. “Whatever helps get you through the day, right?” I joked. 

“Right,” she agreed, smiling fully. She looked at her watch. “Aren’t you supposed to meet Byron soon? Don’t be late for your own date on account of my sob story, now.” With that, she picked up the book and opened it about half way through. 

I took the hint and headed to the door. 

*** 

I ran into Haley before I saw Byron. She was running a sweeper across one of the floor mats in such a way that I could tell her mind was somewhere else. She looked fairly miserable. It was the first time since we’d left Maine that I’d ever seen her without any make up. 

To be honest, I hadn’t been surprised when By told me about Haley and Jordan. I’d been even less surprised about it than he’d been. But I’d seen it coming: she’d decided to let him go because it was easier to be mad at herself for pushing him away than to be mad at him for leaving her. But obviously, that hadn’t made her feel any better about the situation. She saw me coming and she tried to smile, but it was the most pathetic attempt I’d ever seen. Haley is really pitiful when she’s depressed. 

I thought I might try to cheer her up by repeating an old joke of her and By’s. “Is it just me, or is this where bad music goes to die?” I asked. She stopped sweeping and turned to me darkly. She tried the smile again, but only one corner of her mouth turned up briefly before returning to neutral. I grabbed her into a one-armed hug. “Hey, Hay,” I said, smiling internally over how that sounded. “It’s going to get better. Trust me on this one.” 

She hugged me back with both arms for a moment. “I don’t know about that,” she said softly. Then she turned around and went back to cleaning the carpets. 

Byron wasn’t scheduled to be off for another ten minutes or so. I didn’t want to keep him from his work—he was working with Helen and she hates when the employees have personal conversations on work time. Instead I wandered over to the candy bins and chose a couple items. I figured I’d have an excuse to talk to him if I was purchasing something. I headed up towards customer service because he clearly wasn’t at the open register. 

I spotted Helen before I got to the counter, running from the bathroom to the registers. “Jeff,” she said, her tone suspicious. “Didn’t you put in your notice? What are you doing here? If you came to pick up your last pay check, you’ll have to wait until Friday, same as everyone else.” 

I sighed and stifled an eye roll. “Nope. I’m here as a shopper.” I held out my chocolate for her inspection. 

She eyed it, and me, critically, but didn’t say anything before she turned away from me. She spotted Haley cleaning another carpet in front of the registers. “Hay, what are you doing up here? Shouldn’t you be back in china helping with the transfer?” 

Hay bit her lip; she was clearly not in the mood to deal with Helen today. “They said there were too many people working on that today. I was asked to sweep the floor mats until they needed me or until it’s five,” she said meekly, not looking at Helen, but instead at her own feet. 

Helen didn’t appear to believe her, but she waved it away with a single hand gesture. “Never mind that. Someone’s made a mess of one of the toilets in the ladies’ room. I need you to get some gloves and the cleaner and deal with it.” 

Now Haley looked panicked. “I’m sorry, Helen,” she said, knowing this was not going to go well, “but I can’t clean the toilets. I’m allergic to the cleaner.” 

I know Helen remembered the time a couple weeks ago when Haley had an anaphylactic reaction to the toilet cleaner. One of the other managers had been ready to call 911 and have her carted off to the hospital, but Haley had managed to get breathing again before that had to happen. The rest of the management had pretty much banned her from even going near the cleaning supplies since then. 

But Helen wasn’t having any part of _that_. She looked livid that Haley had even dared to disagree with her, and she raised her voice to get the point across. “That’s nonsense. You’re just trying to get out of doing your job. Stop being lazy and get to work. I need you to get it done now. If those toilets aren’t cleaned by the time you leave, I’m going to write you up.” 

Haley’s not usually one for tears in the work place, but with her already low mood and the threat of a write up, she looked like they weren’t far away. It didn’t help that several customers had overheard the exchange and were all staring at the two of them. I stiffened, ready to jump in on her behalf, but another voice piped up first. “Helen,” he said quietly. I hadn’t heard Byron come up, but he was now standing between Helen and the counter, a few feet from us. His face was set and stern, but his voice was low and steady. “I don’t want to overstep my bounds, but I don’t think this is appropriate. Hay is allergic to the toilet cleaner, so you’ve asked her to do something she cannot do. She is not being lazy or trying to get out of her job responsibilities.” Helen whirled around upon him, but before she could say anything, he continued. “Even if she were, I don’t believe this is an appropriate conversation to have on the sales floor, with customers and other employees listening.” 

Helen obviously couldn’t believe that By had dared to speak up. I almost couldn’t believe it either; he wasn’t exactly the type to defy an authority figure, even one as uneven and unfair as Helen was being. But there was something else I was thinking about. It was the way he had done it: he’d stayed calm and he’d stated the facts. Even though it wasn’t his intention, he’d basically made Helen look foolish because he’d been able to be more mature about the situation than she was being. “Byron. Go back to the customer service counter and sort the returns. Leave me and your girlfriend to have our conversation.” 

Byron raised his eyebrows but not his voice. “Hay is not my girlfriend, as you’re well aware.” He looked over briefly at me and I smiled encouragingly at him. “However, she is my best friend. And even if she wasn’t, I wouldn’t just stand by and let you speak to her like that.” 

Most of the customers had moved on by that point, but one or two were still standing around. Helen opened her mouth to speak, but before she had a chance, an office door opened between the front door and the customer service counter, and a man stepped out. “Byron? Hay? Can I speak to you for a moment?” Jason the store manager said from the door to his office. I stepped away from the group of people and up to the registers to pay for my purchase. “Helen, do me a favor,” he continued. “Get Tanya to clean the bathroom.” 

I walked up to the open register, where one of the cashiers, Morgan, was working. She looked at me with wild eyes. “What the hell was that all about?” she asked me quietly as she rang through the Heath bars. 

I shook my head at her. “The culmination of three years of friendship,” I said. Morgan stared at me and I just shook my head again. “Never mind. It’s hard to explain.” 

It was five-ten before the three of them emerged from the manager’s office. I leaned against the wall next to the exit door as Jason shook By’s hand. “Thanks for all your hard work this summer. If you’re in town again next summer, call us and we’ll definitely find you a spot.” He turned to Haley. “So, Hay, come in tomorrow about one and we’ll start your training. I think this is going to work out to everyone’s benefit.” She was looking a little less upset, and she managed a smile at him. “You two go ahead and clock out. Helen,” he called, seeing her about to head behind them to the back of the store, “Can I talk to you next?” 

Byron and Haley took a little longer than normal getting back up front. Seems a couple of people had overheard part of the conversation and wanted to know details. They hadn’t really done any gossiping, but it had taken a while to extricate themselves from the situation. I was still leaning by the doors when they came out. Byron had his arm around Haley and he gave her a squeeze. “I told you everything was going to be okay,” he said. 

She looked like she’d been crying, probably just a few tears, but tears nonetheless. I wordlessly handed her one of the Heath bars. “What’s this for?” she asked as she wiped the other hand across her eye. 

I shrugged at her. “No real reason. Just thought you could use it. Chocolate’s supposed to solve everything for girls, isn’t it?” 

Hay laughed, looking almost happy, however briefly. “You’re something else, Jeff,” she said. By let her go and she gave me a tight squeeze. “I’ll miss you. Be good,” she told me as she let go. 

“Never,” I said. She gave one last little smile and then dug her car keys out of her pocket. She waved to me with the hand holding the chocolate bar and then headed out to the parking lot. 

I turned to Byron, who smiled at me. I grabbed him into a big hug also, and capped it off with a kiss on the lips. “What was that for?” he asked, his cheeks turning a little pink. He’d long since come to expect surprises out of me and as such, he didn’t generally blush as much as he had when we’d first started out. 

I looked around. We were standing on camera by the entrance door, and Morgan, who was between customers, was smirking at us, but I really didn’t care. “Do you have any idea what you just did there?” I asked him. 

He looked at me sideways. “No,” he said slowly, trying to figure out what I meant. “But whatever it was, obviously it was sort of a turn on for you,” he added quietly. 

I laughed. I couldn’t believe he’d just said that, even in a whisper, in a public place. “A big one,” I agreed. I waved goodbye to Morgan, who waved back at the two of us, and then I took By’s hand in mine. “Let’s get out of here,” I suggested.

***

I didn’t get a chance to talk to Byron about what had happened with Helen until later in the evening. We didn’t head back toward Stoneybrook but rather I drove until we got to a restaurant in Stamford. Just one look at the place from the outside and you could tell it was fancy—and expensive. “Jeff…” By began as he took a look around at the internal décor. 

I cut him off. “Not a worry. You are totally worth it. Anyway, what am I going to do with my money once I get back home to California? I’d rather spend it on you than waste it on crap with the gooneys back there. C’mon.” 

I’d warned him to dress up, and we were both wearing ties. Luckily, there didn’t seem to be a dress code. Despite that, no one seemed really thrilled to see us. I never did figure out whether it was our age or that we were two guys holding hands. We were quickly escorted to our reserved table. 

We were both a little ill at ease. Byron seemed nervous—he was fidgeting with his hands—but I was just a little bit ticked off. The host had seated us without comment, slapping our menus down on the table. I wasn’t really upset that he didn’t tell us about the wine selection like he did everyone else, but I would have liked to hear what the specials of the day were. Even though I had my fake ID with me, I wasn’t planning on drinking. It wasn’t really Byron’s thing, not to mention the fact that I had to drive us back home. I actually hadn’t had a drink all summer. I wasn’t an alcoholic or anything, but that had to be some kind of record for me since I’d had my first drink at fourteen. 

The two of us sat there looking at each other for a moment, not sure where to begin. Despite all the time we’d spent together, we didn’t go out to ‘real’ restaurants like this very often. I reached across the table and took his hand, which he’d been tapping anxiously onto the table repeatedly. I don’t even think he was aware he was doing it. He relaxed a little and smiled at me. He even started talking. “Haley seemed like she was feeling a little better today,” he commented. 

I tipped my head to one side, looking him over closely. Sure, I had photos of him, but I wanted to remember every little bit of his face—every little gesture and expression. It was four months until I could come back to Connecticut…if I could even make it then. “Sure, if you consider the fact that she only cried a couple tears today an improvement.” 

“Sadly,” he said with a shake of his head, “it actually is. For someone who essentially pushed Jordan out of her life, she’s taking the fact that he’s gone extremely hard.” I nodded sympathetically. “Yesterday, she cried the whole way to work…while she was driving.” 

I picked up my menu and he did the same. By looked it over for a moment and then looked at me over the top. “Interesting menu,” he said. “Where did you hear about this place?” 

I was drooling over a couple of the options. “It’s where Mom and Richard go every year for their anniversary because they both find things they like. I thought it was appropriate.” 

He smiled, looking a little sad behind the happy expression. “It’s not an anniversary for us…is it?” he asked quietly. 

“Not that I’m aware of,” I said. I decided on an order and put the menu down. He looked at me questioningly. “I’m not much of one for celebrating three month or five month anniversaries. It’s kind of silly.” Byron was still holding the menu upright, but he wasn’t looking at it. His eyes were focused exclusively on mine. “I guess I’m just hoping this is a first that we could celebrate an anniversary for in a year.” 

He lit up. “I love the way that sounds.” I had to grin back at him; it was the first time he’d seemed really enthusiastic all evening. 

We ordered and then he was back to drumming his hand on the table. I couldn’t figure out what was bothering him. I watched his knuckles as he nervously twitched. After a moment, I caught his hand under mine. He looked startled and I grinned at him. “What’s bugging you?” I asked. 

He looked away for a moment and I could tell he didn’t want to answer that. I changed topics, hoping to ferret it out of him later. “How’s the packing going?” 

Byron looked relieved. “Not too bad. Almost done, in fact. Actually, I’ve packed so much that I have to keep unpacking things I need that I thought I was done with.” 

I laughed. “I’ve done that before.” He actually managed a smile. “How about Adam?” 

It was his turn to chuckle. “ _He_ hasn’t started packing yet. He seems to be putting it off to the last second. He hasn’t said it, but I think the sight of his room emptying out is upsetting him. He’s been quieter and less social ever since Jordan left.” 

I could understand that. It’s hard leaving your best friend…or watching him leave you. “And what about Jordan? How’s the freedom treating him?” 

I had meant the freedom of college life, but that’s not how By took it. “I think he’s taking things even harder than Hay is,” he said after a moment’s pause. “I can’t be sure, because I’ve only heard from him by email, but she’s all that he wants to talk about. He’s asking how _she’s_ doing, but I can’t bring myself to lie about it…or tell the truth.” 

Something about his tone made me pause. I was still gripping his hand and I squeezed it. “Why is Hay and Jordan’s breakup bothering you so much?" I asked. 

I could tell I’d hit the nail on the head by the way he broke eye contact. “I just hate seeing them both hurt so bad. Especially because their pain is just because they’re both being stubborn and prideful.” 

I leaned over to him, still not letting go of his hand. “I think there’s more to it than that. You’ve never said so, but I’m certain you constantly draw parallels between our relationship and theirs.” By finally looked at me again. “I wouldn’t be surprised if you even had Venn diagrams in your head.” 

I’d been hoping to make him smile. Instead, he stared at me for a moment, completely seriously, and said, “It completely amazes me the way you can read my mind.” 

“I love you. I want to be able to read your mind.” 

He grimaced for a moment. “I can’t even come close to understanding you the way you get me.” 

I couldn’t believe he said that. “You understand me better than you think. You dig deep, By, and that’s why I get so frustrated sometimes.” I ran one hand across his jaw. “Besides,” I joked, “My mind is rather unfathomable.” 

He pulled his hand away from mine with a sigh. “I guess I really am transparent, then,” he said, sounding sad and a little frustrated. 

“Transparent?” I was confused. “What makes you think you’re transparent?” 

Byron looked away for a moment before turning his attention back to me. “It’s what Hay said to me when she told me she knew I was gay.” I wasn’t sure why being easy to read was an insult to him, but obviously he took it that way. 

I didn’t want to belittle or wave away his concerns, but I needed to point out something. “That’s Haley, though. She’s your best friend. Her being able to read you doesn’t mean you’re transparent.” 

He didn’t seem comforted by that. “Well, what about the fact that some of my family members knew I was gay before I ever told them? Mom, Margo…I think Dad might have suspected, too.” He didn’t give me a chance to reply. “Even that idiot Dan knew.” 

“Dan?” I repeated. “Wasn’t he the one that wrote things about you in the bathrooms?” By nodded. “From what you’ve said, he called half the school gay. You think he’s right even a fraction of the time? Even a stopped clock tells the right time twice a day.” I smiled gently at him and took his hand again. “Imagine we were at Pizza Express right now. If I wasn’t holding your hand, do you think anyone would know we were on a date?” 

By bowed his head for a moment, but then he looked back at me. “How do you always know exactly what to say?” he asked. 

“It’s a gift,” I joked, and he actually smiled. 

***

Our food was served shortly thereafter. It wasn’t until we were nearly done eating that I brought up the afternoon’s events. “What happened with you and Hay and Jason earlier?” I asked. 

He perked up; before that he’d been ready to fall into a food coma. “He wanted to know about the various run-ins we’ve had with Helen throughout the summer. After we told him just about everything—I left out the time she caught us in the parking lot—he let us in on a secret.” I raised my eyebrows. “He said they’d gotten numerous complaints about her from the staff _and_ the customers. Because of it, she’s getting transferred to another store…and demoted.” 

“Whoa,” I said. That was actually pretty serious. “So what was this training Haley’s going to be doing?” 

Byron smiled more fully. “They’re not promoting anyone to replace Helen. Instead, Jason’s going to train a couple people to do various parts of her job. He wants Hay to be one of two closing supervisors on the front end, to count money and supervise the cashiers. There aren’t enough brides for the number of the consultants most of the time and that’s why she usually ends up wrapping gifts or cleaning random stuff. Jason says that’s squandering Hay’s talents, and I agree.” 

Our plates were cleared right about then. I looked at him as he carefully placed his napkin to his lips one last time before he relinquished it. I finally got a chance to say what had been on my mind all evening. “Do you have any idea how proud I am of you?” I asked. 

He froze for a moment, as if checking for sarcasm. “For what?” 

“For the way you stood up to Helen.” 

By looked embarrassed. “What was so great about _that_?” he wanted to know. 

I answered his question with a question. “How often through the past three years has Hay fought your battles for you? Done something like, I don’t know…punch your brother in his face on your behalf?” 

He grinned at the memory, but the grin faded as he remembered where Hay and Jordan stood now. “All the time,” he admitted. 

I carried on. “And how often have you stood up for her?” His face sagged, but I didn’t let him speak to the negative. “In the past, that’s the way it needed to be. She spoke up for you, and you supported her. But this time, she needed you to stand up for her and you stepped right out of your comfort zone.” 

He looked distinctly uncomfortable. “I still don’t get it,” he said. They brought the check and I snatched it before he could even look at it. By got distracted from his confusion and gave me a stern look. “You know the deal,” he said. “You pay, I leave the tip. I pay, you leave the tip.” 

I shook my head at him. “Not tonight. This is completely on me. You can do the same next time we see each other.” I tucked a sum of money in with the bill and set it on the table, covering it with one hand so he couldn’t grab it and try to put money in it. “Let me finish complimenting you, okay? I know you don’t get what’s so awesome about what you did. You never see your finest points, you know that? Only the downsides to everything you do.” He nodded his agreement to that, however tentatively. “You’re probably looking at this thing with Helen as ‘Oh no, I told off my boss.’ But I’m seeing it as you stood in front of Hay when she needed you to, and you were calm and mature. You were way more of an adult than Helen was, that’s for sure.” 

Byron had ducked his head again during the conversation. “Why don’t I see myself the way you see me?” he asked, still looking away. 

I grinned and took his jaw in my hand again, pulling his face back up so he was looking at me. “We never do see ourselves the way others see us.” He locked his gaze into mine. “Tell me, Byron. How do you see me?” 

He thought for a moment, pulling his words together. “You make me want to go out and live life, instead of hiding from it. You’re braver than I could ever be—facing your problems head on.” He leaned in toward me. “I love that about you, Jeff.” 

“And I love that you make me stop and think twice about stuff. My dad’s favorite word for me is reckless, and I know sometimes I act and speak first and then think later. You’re more careful and that makes me want to be more careful.” 

By’s eyes were shining again, but he looked a little playful. “This is really sappy, you know that?” he said. 

I laughed heartily. “Yeah. I never thought I’d _want_ to be sappy. But I also never thought this,” I gestured to him and then the table as a whole, “would happen. Remember back in Maine when I said sometimes the best things in life were surprises? Well, you’ve been the best surprise of all.” 

I stood up and offered him my hands. He stood up before he took them both. “You really think we’ll survive the time and distance this year?” he asked, going back to his old fear that I hadn’t completely squashed. 

I nodded. “Yes. I’m completely certain of it. I love you, you love me, but more than that…I don’t think there’s anyone out there who could complement me better than you do.” 

Bryon smiled. “Kinda like soul mates,” he said. I nodded a second time and squeezed both his hands before I let him go. “I guess it’s not a worry, then, huh?” 

I shook my head. “I know you. You’ll find enough things to worry about this year. My love shouldn’t be one of them.” 

He took one hand again and started walking to the exit. When we were outside, he stopped and pulled my arm, dragging me closer to him. I put my hands on his waist. “Thank you,” he said. 

“For what?” 

“For dinner. For this summer. For everything.” 

I drew him closer. “This is just the start, By. This is just the start.”

**Author's Note:**

> Coming soon in _The Boys of Summer_ :  
> Haley gets a serious telling-off from the last person she ever expected  
> By and Hay say goodbye as Byron (and Adam) finally leave for school


End file.
